Festival de la Sainte-Barbe
Arts and fire in the heart of the Lens-Liévin Mining Basin
About Sainte-Barbe
The Festival de la Sainte-Barbe is a festival of arts and fire organized annually in late November-early December in the Lens-Liévin Mining Basin. Created in 2018, it celebrates Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners, celebrated on December 4th, by inviting nationally and internationally renowned pyrotechnic and fire show companies to set the former mining sites ablaze. Free shows, fiery parades, artistic installations, and a traditional procession mark this unique event that blends mining heritage and contemporary creation.
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Saint Barbara's Day: Between Heritage and Creation
December 4th, Saint Barbara's Day, has always been a symbolic date for the Mining Basin. Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners, firefighters, and pyrotechnicians, was celebrated each year by the families of the mining communities and the mining companies. Since 2018, the Festival de la Sainte-Barbe has perpetuated this tradition by reinventing it through the arts of fire and live performance.
Pyrotechnic Shows on Mining Sites
The festival takes over the iconic sites of the Mining Basin, a UNESCO World Heritage site: the 9-9bis site in Oignies, the Base 11/19 in Loos-en-Gohelle (home to the two tallest slag heaps in Europe), the Saint-Amé headframe in Liévin, and other heritage sites in the Lens-Liévin area. Internationally renowned companies create fire shows, pyrotechnic performances, fiery parades, and light installations that transform these historically rich locations.
Exceptional Companies
Each edition hosts companies specializing in the arts of fire and street performance. The 2025 edition notably featured Titanos, Cie OFF, Deabru Beltzak, and Les Souffleurs Commandos Poétiques, offering spectacular creations blending fire, light, music, and theater.
The Saint Barbara's Day Procession
True to tradition, a Saint Barbara's Day procession winds through the city of Lens or Liévin, bringing together residents, former miners, and their families in a moment of remembrance and sharing. The procession culminates in the illumination of the Saint-Amé headframe, a symbolically rich finale blending memory, light, and emotion.
A Free and Popular Festival
All shows at the Festival de la Sainte-Barbe are free and open to all. This freeness is at the heart of the event's philosophy, aiming to provide the entire population of the Mining Basin with access to high-level artistic creations. The festival is organized in partnership with the Louvre-Lens, the Hauts-de-France Region, and the local authorities of the Lens-Liévin territory.
Sainte-Barbe — edition 2026
2026 edition of the Festival de la Sainte-Barbe. Free fire shows on the emblematic sites of the Lens-Liévin Mining Basin around December 4th. Program to be confirmed.
Prices Sainte-Barbe 2026
Practical information — Sainte-Barbe
Show Locations
The Festival de la Sainte-Barbe is a multi-site event that unfolds across several emblematic locations of the Mining Basin, a UNESCO World Heritage site:
- Lens: Jean Perrin University (opening show on Friday) and city center
- Oignies: 9-9bis site, Chemin du Tordoir (shows on Saturday)
- Loos-en-Gohelle: Base 11/19, at the foot of the two tallest slag heaps in Europe (shows on Saturday)
- Liévin: Saint-Amé headframe (closing show on Sunday with the procession and illumination)
The exact locations and times for each show will be announced on the festival's official website a few weeks before the event.
Dates
The festival takes place annually from late November to early December, around December 4th, Saint Barbara's Day, the patron saint of miners. The program generally spans ten days with shows on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
Prices
All shows at the Festival de la Sainte-Barbe are completely free and accessible to everyone, without prior reservation. However, it is recommended to arrive early for the most anticipated shows to secure a good spot.
Access
- By car: Lens is accessible via the A26 (exit 6.1 Lens) and the A21 (Lens exit). The various sites in the Mining Basin are connected by a dense road network. Free parking is available near each show venue. Signage is provided on show days.
- By train: Lens station, served by TGV (Paris-Lens in 1h10) and TER (Lille-Lens in 30 min). From Lens station, the show venues are accessible by bus (Tadao network) or by car.
- By bus: The Tadao network serves the entire Lens-Liévin territory. Special shuttles may be set up on days with major shows.
Practical Advice
- As shows take place outdoors and in the evening in the middle of winter, it is essential to dress warmly (hat, gloves, scarf, warm shoes).
- Pyrotechnic shows require adherence to safety perimeters.
- Children are welcome at all shows.
Contact
Festival de la Sainte-Barbe — 16 place Jean Jaurès, 62300 Lens — Tel: 03 21 67 66 66
Website: festivaldelasaintebarbe.com
Facebook: Festival de la Sainte-Barbe
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Travel to this festival
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Where does it take place — Sainte-Barbe
Bassin Minier Lens-Liévin (multisites)
16 place Jean Jaurès, 62300 Lens